Wednesday, January 12, 2011

It Isn't Snow Until...

Real snow

If you don't need a plow or two, a shovel, and your full-length Carhart gear head to toe, is just isn't snow. Nuisance white stuff, but definitely not snow. Today we had snow, and from 4:30 AM till noon when I called it QUITS, it was definitely snow. Not the most ever, nor the worst ever. Just snow and all that comes with it -- life on the farm. The new truck's battery: dead. My FLIP camera: dead. My regular camera: dead. Plowing with the new truck: opportunity missed. Photo ops: missed in daylight.

Not too spoiled, right.

As night nestles in, our llamas have already selected their kush-down spots. Golden, our first farm cria, continues to be the most independent lad in llama land, except at night. Then he snuggles close to his mother. Almost always indoors.

The night watch

EtCetera, with the densest coat, having received only a barrel cut, chooses outside even in single digit cold. SP joins her most evenings, but ultimately retires to a stall. In past years, I suffered angst over to close or not to close the pastures when snow fell. Now I leave it to the more intelligent to make the choice.

As for me, I took my first nap of the season with a snow day. For most teachers, a snow day is a free day but life on the farm--never a free day. And I wouldn't have it any other way.